PORT Adelaide has started their 2009 campaign in fine fashion beating Essendon by 41 points in their opening match of the season at AAMI Stadium.

In warm 30 degree conditions, the Power started brightly and led all day to run out winners 15.17 (107) to 9.12 (66) with Daniel Motlop booting four goals and Justin Westoff three.

Alipate Carlile and Troy Chaplin were also outstanding in defence.

It was a skilful, entertaining clash with players from both sides running relentlessly until fatigue took its toll late in the game.

The Power’s victory was built on a surging start when they booted three goals in the first eight minutes of the match.

They pretty much held that margin, give or take a goal or two until well into the final term.

That opening burst was inspired by Danyle Pearce who began the charge with a set shot from the pocket after five minutes and was in the thick of the action.

Carlile got the next goal, the first of his 33-game career, despite being positioned deep in defence at the time.

Brett Ebert slammed through a set shot a minute later to complete the perfect start and open an 18-point lead.

The Bombers weren’t that far off the mark in general play but it took them 17 minutes to get their first goal through a fine kick from Adam McPhee.

A Motlop goal stretched the lead again at the Power led by 20 points at the first change.
Pearce was prolific in the opening term with 11 possessions while mature-aged recruit Hayden Skipworth won plenty of the ball for the Bombers.

Essendon unveiled a couple of promising new defenders in 18-year-old Michael Hurley on debut and 19-year-old Tayte Pears in his sixth game. Both found themselves doing big jobs in defence but acquitted themselves well.

Hurley provided one highlight for the visitors when he held his ground to outmark Warren Tredrea midway the second quarter.

That came in the middle of a good patch for the Bombers when they kicked three goals through Brent Stanton, Jay Neagle and Angus Monfries as they found some system going forward.

The second term was a far more even affair with Port Adelaide outscoring the Bombers four goals to three in an energy-sapping stanza.

Essendon came out hard in the third term but missed a couple of early chances before Brent Stanton nailed a set shot. Andrew Lovett followed suit within a minute after copping a high tackle from Michael Pettigrew.

It brought the Bombers to within 15 points, however, the Power found the answers.

Troy Chaplin arrested the Bombers run-on with a courageous mark going back with flight of ball to deny Matthew Lloyd a goal-scoring opportunity.

Port Adelaide then made a quick transition back to their forward line where the ball ended up with Motlop, who kicked a wonderful goal from tight angle with a set shot.

Essendon replied through Skipworth as the contest went up a gear but Robbie Gray kept a cool head to kick a responding goal and keep the margin past three goals and Josh Carr got another to give the home side breathing space.

Port Adelaide’s three quarter-time lead was 22 points but given the 2008 record, when they lost seven games by two goals or less, they needed a good start to the final term.

And they got it thanks to another cool set shot from Gray after a backwards pass from Motlop.

Scott Lucas replied soon after with his first goal of the day but it Essendon was always coming from a fair way back.
Essendon’s Alwyn Davey was unlucky to be disallowed a goal when he booted the ball out of a pack in the goalsquare. None of the umpires were able to tell if Davey’s boot got the final touch on the ball and a behind was given.

It would have kept Essendon within three goals with nine minutes remaining but after that incident the Power slammed on three quick goals to finish the contest.

MATCH DETAILS

Port Adelaide 4.3 8.7 11.12 15.17 (107)
Essendon 1.1 4.3 8.8 9.12 (66)

GOALS
Port Adelaide: Motlop 4, Westhoff 3, Ebert 2, Pearce, Carlile, P Burgoyne, Carr, Gray, Boak
Essendon: Stanton 2, McPhee, Neagle, Dempsey, Monfries, Skipworth, Lovett, Lucas

BEST
Port Adelaide: Pearce, K Cornes, Salopek, Motlop, Carlile,  P Burgoyne, Cassisi
Essendon: Watson, Stanton, Fletcher, Skipworth, Hurley, Davey

INJURIES
Port Adelaide: B Ebert (shoulder)
Essendon: T Bellchambers (tactical) replaced in selected side by T Pears.

Reports:
Port Adelaide: D Brogan reported by field umpire D Margetts for engaging in rough conduct on A Lovett (Essendon) at quartertime.
Essendon: Nil.

Umpires: Margetts, Ryan and Jeffery

Official crowd: 28, 315 at AAMI Stadium

The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs.